1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved height adjustable high chair and, more particularly, to an improved height adjustable high chair which is height adjustable vertically and which allows for adjustment of the tray in a horizontal plane.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many types of high chairs are known and in wide use today throughout the child care industry. High chairs have a very large number of features generally designed for the safety of the child and convenience of the mother. Aspects of an improved height adjustable high chair which are taken in account when designing or utilizing such high chairs are the ability of the high chair to maintain a stable orientation with respect to the ground for precluding tipping of the chair and child. Another feature of concern is the ability of the chair, with or without a tray, to situate a child at a convenient elevational height vertically with respect to the mother particularly during feeding time. A third aspect of concern in the design of high chairs is the ability of the tray to be located in a proper orientation in a horizontal plane with regard to the size of the particular child.
Typical examples of high chairs directed to providing various of the features discussed above as well as other features are described throughout the patent literature. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,928 to Richard E. Cone which discloses a tray apparatus that provides for an attachment to an improved height adjustable high chair. The tray apparatus includes a tray having a raised periphery. Raised arm or elbow rest areas are formed at the back of the tray. Peripheral portions, which are located at the back of the tray, decrease in height in a direction from the outer periphery. The tray apparatus also includes a latching mechanism that provides a number of functions including adjustment of the tray relative to the high chair while maintaining engagement between the tray apparatus and the high chair; one-handed or two-handed removal of the tray apparatus from the high chair; and a memory feature which facilitates removal of the tray apparatus and attachment thereof at the same position relative to the high chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,603 to Turner discloses a lock-release mechanism mounted on the back of a foldable high chair to control relative movement between the chair back and the underlying seat and leg assembly. In use, the bolt-release mechanism can be actuated manually to permit the high chair to be folded from an unfolded use position to a partly folded safety stop position and a fully folded storage position.
Giambrone, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,092, discloses an improved height adjustable high chair tray latch mechanism comprising a housing secured to the underside of an improved height adjustable high chair tray with movable latches on the opposed side of the housing for engaging apertures in the arms of the chair. A bell crank is rotatably mounted centrally within the housing between the movable latches. First and second rigid rods are pivotally attached at one end to opposite arms of the bell crank and the first and second arms are pivotally attached at their other ends to their respective latches. The crank includes a spring which rotatably biases the crank in a direction to engage the latches with the holes in the arms of the chair. A cable is connected between the crank and a lever located on the underside of the forward part of the tray. Manual squeezing of the lever relative to the tray foreshortens the cable so as to rotate the crank. Rotation of the crank overcomes the bias of the spring and the rigid rods release the latches outwardly from the holes in the arms of the high chair so that the tray may be adjusted or removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,161 to Slowe discloses a device for releasably securing a tray to a chair having two extending arms with a plurality of consecutive recessed grooves on the underside of each arm. The device comprises a one-piece pivot bar and a pivot element for pivotably connecting the pivot bar to the bottom of the tray. The pivot bar comprises an operable front portion forward of the pivot element, a back portion rearward of the pivot element, and at least two pins extending from the back portion for engaging the grooves. Attachment elements are included which are located proximate the pivot element for rotatably securing the pivot bar to the bottom of the tray. A biasing element is associated with the pivot bar for urging the pins toward the bottom surface of the tray and into corresponding grooves when the tray is positioned on the arms of the chair to secure the tray to the arms whereby operation of the pivot bar in opposition to the biasing means causes the pins to retreat from the grooves.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 256,272 is a chair having seat, arms, and spindles, a removable tray or shelf having two horizontally-projecting bars, one fixed and one pivoted to the tray on a vertical axis, and both adapted to engage with the chair by means of pins and sockets, as described, and to be held in engagement by a locking device, substantially as and for the purpose as set forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,505,490 to Greenbaum discloses the combination with a chair, of fixtures fastened to each side thereof, a tray, arms pivotally mounted on the tray, spring means for normally tensioning the arms towards each other thus engaging the fixtures, and a handle operatively connected to the arms to force them in the opposite direction.
Lastly, Alford, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,097,884, discloses a tray adapted to be removably connected to transversely spaced vertical tubular members of a chair in which lower enlargements are provided, the tray comprising a board having transversely spaced recesses into which the chair members are adapted to fit, hook members carried by the board on the under side thereof to partly encircle the chair members, means to lock the hook members to retain the chair members in their recesses, the means comprising pivoted hook-provided locking dogs and means to move the dogs on their pivots between retracted and partly encircling engagement with the chair members, and brace means carried by the board and angularly directed to engage the lower portions of the chair members and to rest upon the enlargements thereof.
A review of the prior art illustrates that no patent addresses and meets the variety of needs of both mother and child when it comes to high chair safety and convenience.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable high chair for use by a child comprising a base having a horizontal portion with a center of gravity and positionable on a floor, a chair adapted to receive a child thereon, the chair having a seat portion, a back portion, and arm portions coupled with respect thereto, the arm portions each having an upper support surface for receipt of a tray, height adjustment mechanisms operatively coupling the base and the chair and a tray adjustably secured with respect to the arms of the chair.
further object of the invention is to adjust the height of an improved height adjustable high chair conveniently to facilitate the desires of the mother for a particular time or place.
A further object of the present invention to laterally move a tray and secure it in a proper orientation with respect to the chair within the high chair.
A further object of the present invention is to effect the adjustment of an improved height adjustable high chair through mechanisms convenient to the mother which will assure that the tray is not inadvertently removed during the adjustment of the tray position.
A further object of the present invention is to maintain the stability of an improved height adjustable high chair and child therein by insuring its center of gravity is as close as possible to the center of gravity of the base during adjustment thereof.
These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the summary of the invention, and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.